Favorable First Impressions —Farquharson/Tedesco

Many moons ago, back
 when the doors to companies were unlocked and you didn't have to go through a security background check and DNA sampling just to gain access to the lobby, there used to be an employee called "The Receptionist." If you're under the age of 30 you might want to Google it or watch TV Land for actual examples. We salespeople would drive up and park at the front door, strut inside, and shamelessly flirt in order to get the name of anyone in power. The first impression was as important back then as it is today, but since we WERE the first impression, personal hygiene and fashion sense were critical.

Today, bathing is less of a priority and beauty won't get you as far as it once did, for in-person sales has given way to remote contact. Why? The door is locked. Aunt Bea lost her receptionist job in a downsizing and the powers-that-be are inside, hiding behind electronic blockades such as voice mail and Caller ID. But we, the American sales reps, are up to the task. We are strong and resilient. We will not be stopped, and we don't need no stinking badges. So cue the fight music and let's look at some options for creating a new first impression.

In Malcolm Gladwell's book "Blink," the author talks about "thin-slicing." That is, he suggests that we all make, in our words, educated first impressions. We get a gut feel for a person or a situation. Have you ever taken an instant liking to someone you meet? You can't explain it, but that person has a certain, as the French would say, "I don't know what." Part confidence, part friendliness—there is something attractive that you can't describe, but is definitely a factor.

Planning the Plan

In the new world of sales, there remains a need to create a plan for putting your best foot forward. Since we don't have the face-to-face option like we used to, we offer three options for creating a first impression, circa 2010:

1. The Introductory Letter—Think for a second. How many personal letters do you get in a year's time? No, invoices don't count.

Your first option for a good first impression is to send out introductory letters. Use company letterhead, keep it to one page, and have someone proofread it before it goes out the door. Typos and poor grammar are deal killers, especially when you boast about your "explicit attention to details" and misspell "explicit" (Don't laugh. I've seen it). You will also want to stay away from the "I, me, my" story. In other words, don't rail on about your capabilities or equipment list.

Make the letter about your solutions sales approach. Imagine a letter where you describe your company not by the iron on the floor, but by the statement, "We help our customers to find their customers." That's selling the sizzle.

Finally, remember to make your letter scan-able. Assume that someone who opens your letter is looking to get the gist of it and move on. It is for that reason that you want to add a P.S. at the bottom. Regardless of whether someone reads the letter or not, they will check out the P.S. Make it worthwhile.

2. The E-mail—Bill and Ted are, ahem, veteran salespeople. We are both technically savvy enough to Google, Tweet, and chew gum (not at the same time of course, but our kids are helping us with that). We see e-mail as an excellent form of communication, but not as the best choice for the first impression. It is too impersonal and intrusive, especially when the relationship has not been formed and permission has yet to be given.

E-mail can be used effectively if it is a part of a larger strategy. For example, suppose you posted a clever YouTube video and e-mailed a link to it in an effort to introduce your company's capabilities. In that case, e-mail is an excellent delivery mechanism. What constitutes "clever" is in the eye of the beholder, but here is an example: www.tempt-ing.com/inca.html. Perhaps the rules have changed and us Old School guys need to adapt, but anything that reeks of "me too" needs to be avoided. Differentiation never goes out of style. Use an e-mail intro wisely.

Remember Ma Bell?

3. The Phone—And then there's simply picking up the phone and calling. No introduction. No warning. Just dialing for dollars. Of these three choices, this is likely to be the least successful and the most popular amongst your peers and competitors.

Earlier this year, a buyer chimed in to a LinkedIn discussion on voice mail, stating, "I get 60 voice mail messages a day. Sixty! If I gave everyone of them five minutes of my time, that would be five hours a day spent talking." Given those numbers, it is hard to imagine the efficacy of using the phone at all, never mind as a tool to make a first impression.

It is worth noting, however, that the aforementioned buyer went on to comment on the content of those voice mails, adding, "Don't tell me you are going to save me money. That is an automatic delete. Time is what I value most. Save me time and you have my attention." If you choose to call first, prepare to be forgotten immediately.

The goal of the first step in the sales process is to demonstrate professionalism and confidence. Your underlying message should be, "You want me on that job; you NEED me on that job." In essence, it's the green flag that signifies the start of the race; a race that will hopefully result in an appointment.

By the time you finished the first sentence of this column, you already decided if you liked it enough to read on. In sales, you have one shot at being unique, remarkable and different. Make the most of this opportunity by replacing face-to-face with a first impression method that best suits your style and your target market's assumed preferences. Whichever you choose, strive to be memorable. Bathing is optional. PI

—Bill Farquharson, T.J. Tedesco

About the Authors
Bill Farquharson is the president of Aspire For (www.AspireFor.com). His Sales Challenge can help drive your sales momentum. Contact him at (781) 934-7036 or e-mail bill@aspirefor.com. T.J. Tedesco is team leader of Grow Sales, a 14-year-old marketing and PR services company. He is author of "Playbook for Selling Success in the Graphic Arts Industry" and five other books. Contact Tedesco at (301) 294-9900 or e-mail tj@growsales.com.